Notes on Certain Maya and Mexican Manuscripts Part 10

_Orozco y Berra._

1. Tochtli -- Rabbit -- South -- Air.

2. Acatl -- Cane -- East -- Water.

3. Tecpatl -- Flint -- North -- Fire.

4. Calli -- House -- West -- Earth.

_Chavero._

1. Tochtli -- Rabbit -- South -- Earth.

2. Acatl -- Cane -- East -- Water.

3. Tecpatl -- Flint -- North -- Fire.

4. Calli -- House -- West -- Air.

Judging from the differences shown in these lists, we are forced to the conclusion that no entirely satisfactory result has been reached in reference to the a.s.signment of the different symbols to the cardinal points; still a careful a.n.a.lysis will bring out the fact that there is a strong prevalency of opinion on one or two points among the earlier authorities. In order that this may be seen I present here a list in a different form from the preceding.

REFERENCE OF THE YEARS TO THE CARDINAL POINTS.

_Tochtli_--_Acatl_--_Tecpatl_--_Calli._ Sahagun -- South -- East -- North -- West.

Gemelli -- South -- East -- North -- West.

Duran -- South -- East -- North -- West.

Orozco y Berra -- South -- East -- North -- West.

Chavero -- South -- East -- North -- West.

Torquemada -- South -- East -- North -- West.

Boturini -- North -- West -- South -- East.

REFERENCE OF COLORS TO THE CARDINAL POINTS.

_South_ --_East_ --_North_ --_West._ Gemelli -- Blue -- Red -- Yellow -- Green.

Duran -- Blue -- Green -- Red -- Yellow.

Charencey[40] -- Red -- Yellow -- Black -- White.

Schultz-Sellack -- Yellow -- Red -- White -- Black.

REFERENCE OF ELEMENTS TO THE CARDINAL POINTS.

_South_--_East_ --_North_ --_West._ Gemelli -- Earth -- Water -- Air[41] -- Fire.

Boturini -- Fire -- Earth -- Air -- Water.

Schultz-Sellack -- Air -- Fire -- Water -- Earth.

Chavero -- Earth -- Water -- Fire -- Air.

REFERENCE OF THE ELEMENTS TO THE YEARS.

_Tochtli_--_Acatl_--_Tecpatl_--_Calli_ Veytia -- Air -- Water -- Fire -- Earth.

Gemelli -- Earth -- Water -- Air -- Fire.

Boturini -- Air -- Water -- Fire -- Earth.

Chavero -- Earth -- Water -- Fire -- Air.

Orozco y Berra -- Air -- Water -- Fire -- Earth.

As will be seen from this list, there is entire uniformity in the a.s.signment of the years or year symbols to the cardinal points, with the single exception of Boturini. As this author's views in regard to the calendar are so radically different from all other authorities as to induce the belief that it applies to some other than the Aztec or true Mexican calendar we will probably be justified in eliminating his opinion from the discussion.

Omitting this author, we have entire uniformity among the authorities named in regard to the reference of the years to the cardinal points, as follows:

_Tochtli_ to the _south_; _Acatl_ to the _east_; _Tecpatl_ to the _north_, and _Calli_ to the _west_.

The reference of the colors and the elements to the cardinal points is too varied to afford us any a.s.sistance in arriving at a conclusion in this respect. In the a.s.signment of the elements to the years we find that, water is referred by all the authorities named to _Acatl_, and fire by all but one (Gemelli), to _Tecpatl_.

One thing more must be mentioned before we appeal directly to the codices. As the groups of five days, so often heretofore referred to, were a.s.signed to the cardinal points, it is proper to notice here what is said on this point. So far, I have found it referred to only in the Exposition of the Vatican Codex and by Schultz-Sellack in the article before cited.

As the latter refers to them by numbers only, I give here a list of the Mexican days, with numbers corresponding with the positions they severally hold in their regular order.

_First column._ _Second column._ _Third column._ _Fourth column._

1. c.i.p.actli. 2. Ehecatl. 3. Calli. 4. Cuetzpalin.

5. Coatl. 6. Miquitzli.[TN-16] 7. Mazatl. 8. Tochtli.

9. Atl. 10. Itzquintli. 11. Ozomatli. 12. Malinalli.

13. Acatl. 14. Ocelotl. 15. Quauhtli. 16. Cozcaquauhtli.

17. Ollin. 18. Tecpatl. 19. Quiahuitl. 20. Xochitl.

Using the numbers only, 1, 5, 9, 13, and 17 will denote the first column; 2, 6, 10, 14, and 18 the second, &c.

Schultz-Sellack states that:

4, 8, 12, 16, 20 were a.s.signed to the south.

1, 5, 9, 13, 17, to the east.

2, 6, 10, 14, 18, to the north.

3, 7, 11, 15, 19, to the west.

But, as he only quotes from the explanation of the Vatican Codex as given by Kingsborough,[42] will present here the statement of this authority:

"Thus they commenced reckoning from the sign of One Cane. For example: One Cane, two, three, &c., proceeding to thirteen; for, in the same way, as we have calculations in our repertories by which to find what sign rules over each of the seven-days of the week, so the natives of that country had thirteen signs for the thirteen days of their week; and this will be better understood by an example. To signify the first day of the world, they painted a figure like the moon, surrounded with splendor, which is emblematical of the deliberation which they say their G.o.d held respecting the creation, because the first day after the commencement of time began with the second figure, which was One Cane. Accordingly, completing their reckoning of a cycle at the sign of Two Canes, they counted an Age, which is a period of fifty-two years, because, on account of the biss.e.xtile years which necessarily fell in this sign of the Cane, it occurred at the expiration of every period of fifty-two years. Their third sign was a certain figure which we shall presently see, resembling a serpent or viper, by which they intended to signify the poverty and labors which men suffer in this life. Their fourth sign represented an earthquake, which they called Nahuolin, because they say that in that sign, the sun was created. Their fifth sign was Water, for, according to their account, abundance was given to them in that sign.

[The five days c.i.p.actli, Acatl, Coatl, Ollin, Atl.] These five signs they placed in the upper part, which they called Tlacpac, that is to say, the east. They placed five other signs at the south, which they named Uitzlan, which means a place of thorns--the first of which was a flower, emblematical of the shortness of life, which pa.s.ses away quickly, like a blossom or flower. The second was a certain very green herb, in like manner denoting the shortness of life, which is as gra.s.s.

The third sign was a lizard, to show that the life of man, besides being brief, is dest.i.tute, and replete with the ills of nakedness and cold, and with other miseries. The fourth was a certain very cruel species of bird which inhabits that country. The fifth sign was a rabbit, because they say that in this sign their food was created, and accordingly they believed that it presided over drunken revels. [Xochitl, Malinalli, Cuetzpalin, Cozcaquauhtli, Tochtli.] They placed five other signs at the west, which region they called Tetziuatlan. The first was a deer, by which they indicated the diligence of mankind in seeking the necessaries of life for their sustenance. The second sign was a shower of rain falling from the skies, by which they signified pleasure and worldly content. The third sign was an ape, denoting leisure time. The fourth was a house, meaning repose and tranquillity. The fifth was an eagle, the symbol of freedom and dexterity. [Mazatl, Quiahuitl, Ozomatli, Calli, Quauhtli.] At the north, which they call Teutletlapan, which signifies the place of the G.o.ds, they placed the other five signs which were wanting to complete the twenty. The first was a tiger, which is a very ferocious animal, and accordingly they considered the echo of the voice as a bad omen and the most unlucky of any, because they say that it has reference to that sign. The second was a skull or death, by which they signified that death commenced with the first existence of mankind.

The third sign was a razor or stone knife, by which are meant the wars and dissensions of the world; they call it Tequepatl. The fourth sign is the head of a cane, which signifies the devil, who takes souls to h.e.l.l.

The fifth and last of all the twenty signs was a winged head, by which they represented the wind, indicative of the variety of worldly affairs." [Ocelotl, Miquiztli, Tecpatl, Itzquintli, Ehecatl.]

According, therefore, to this author the first column was a.s.signed to the East, the second to the North, the third to the West, and the fourth to the South. He also says that the counting of the years began with 1 Cane.[43]

Turning now to Plate 44 of the Fejervary Codex (our Plate III), we notice that the symbols of the days of the first column are wedged in between the loops of the upper left-hand corner, and that here we also find the symbol of the year-bearer, _Acatl_, in the red circle at the outer extremity of the loop. Here, then, according to the expounder of the Vatican Codex, is the east, and this agrees also with all the other authorities except Boturini. As these day symbols are between the red and yellow loops, the next point to be determined is to which of the two they belong.

This is a very important point, the determination of which must have a strong bearing on our decision as to the cardinal points. As it is here that the apparently strongest evidence against my conclusion is to be found, it is necessary that I explain somewhat fully my reasons for deciding against this apparent evidence.

If we take for granted that the day columns relate to the large angular loops, then the column in the upper right-hand corner would seem to belong to the top or red loop and not to the one on the right; and the column in the upper left-hand corner to the left or yellow loop and not to that at the top, and so on. This I concede is a natural inference which it is necessary to outweigh by stronger evidence.

In the first place it is necessary to bear in mind that although the sides of the plate, that is to say the large loops, are spoken of as facing the cardinal points, yet it is possible the artist intended that the corner or round loops should indicate the cardinal points, as here are found the days a.s.signed to these quarters.

Even admitting that the large angular loops indicate the cardinal points, we must suppose the figures of one corner, either those at the right or left, belong respectively to them. As the symbols of the year-bearers Acatl, Tecpatl, Calli, and Tochtli have peculiar marks of distinction, we are justified in believing that this distinction is for the purpose of signifying the quarter to which they belong. Examining carefully the bird on the symbol for Acatl in the upper left-hand corner loop, we find that it can be identified only with that on the tree in the top or red angular loop. It is true the identification in the other cases is not so certain, but in this case there can be very little doubt, as the green top-knot, the peculiar beak, and green feathers are sufficient of themselves to connect the upper left-hand white loop and figures of this corner with the top red loop and figures embraced in it.

Studying the plate carefully and also our scheme of it--Fig. 6--we observe that c.i.p.actli is found at the right base of the red loop, Miquitzli[TN-17] at the right base of the yellow loop (the center of the plate being considered the point of observation), Ozomatli at the right base of the blue loop, and Cozcaquauhtli at the right base of the green loop (but in this case it can be determined only by the order, not by the figure). These are the four days, as is well known, on which the Mexican years begin.